Spartans challenge Kimball

For the better part of the first two quarters, the Lathrop High Spartans stood toe to toe with Kimball.

At one point, they even held a slight edge over the much-improved Jaguars, scoring not too long after recovering an onside kick.

But then game took a turn for the worse as Kimball busted loose, pouring iton with touchdowns on four straight possessions en route to a 49-26 Valley Oak League win at Bennie Gatto Field at Paul Wiggin Stadium.

“Going into this game, we knew what they were capable of doing,” said first-year Lathrop coach Steven Wichman, who spent the past four years as an assistant coach for the Jaguars. “Our game plan (on defense) was to swarm (the ball carrier), gang tackle, and keep them from running outside.

“We did that at times.”

The Spartans (1-6, 1-9) held a 20-14 lead in the second quarter, mixing in the run with the pass.

Down 14-6 – a 39-yard draw play by Josh Elliot in the opening quarter accounted for the earlier touchdown – Lathrop scored twice in a span of 90 seconds. Running back Haw’aii Leaf a Teo scored on a 6-yard run and the Spartans recovered the loose ball on the short kick.

Quarterback Kenny Garrett, who completed his first seven passes, hit Nilo Yuson on a 38-yard scoring strike. On the two-point conversion, he found Leaf a Teo.

But the final two minutes leading into halftime belonged to Kimball (4-3, 5-5).